User Reviews

"This is Blaecorn Unidragon made with Beechwood Smoked malt, which adds a natural meaty note (there is no actual meat in the brew). Aged 100% in bourbon barrels. Little piggies run, squeal to the heavens: Clown Shoes wishes you luck." Brewed in the style of an American Imperial Stout. Available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft. Originally released as an anniversary ale, and while it still makes occasional appearances, I have not seen it in a bottled format in quite some time.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass.

(Appearance) Pours a crisp, fizzy head of a maple brown color over a near jet black body. Retention is below average, lacing is light and spotty. 3.5

(Smell) Moderate peat smoke forward, with lesser notes of medium roasted grain, chocolate and soft licorice and dark fruit impact. The smoked malt character is balanced nicely in this ale, creating impact without overpowering the other stout characters. Potency is moderate. 3.75

(Taste) Smokey malt, heavily roasted barley, cocoa and undertones of dark fruit, bourbon and toasted oak. This beer may be a bit beyond its prime, as the smoked malt doesn't quite make the same level of impact as the aroma suggests, and there is a definite smack of alcohol for a burning finish, alongside a paired blend of smoked malt and silk chocolate. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Texture is silky, slick, chewy, mildly sticky, medium dry. Carbonation is moderate, generating a medium frothiness and a modestly crisp finish. Body is medium for the style, shy of heavy overall. Balance is slightly fruity, smokey and grainy over sweet. Alcohol presence is moderate, and there are no off characters in this beer to note. 3.5

(Overall) I fear I held off on this beer too long and that it is over the hill. Good news is I enjoyed it enough to hope it comes around again, and if it does, I would certainly get another bottle. Unfortunately, at its current state, the smoked malt character is too delicate and the alcohol presence is a bit too bold to hit an optimum balance. Although Clown Shoes tends to create a lot of one-off beers, I'm hoping they revisit this ale again soon in the future, as they generally hit home runs with all of their Stouts. 3.5

A: Dark black with a tan one finger head that lingered. Frothy lacing.

S: Smokey, charred malts, bourbon, dark chocolate, anise, leather.

T: Follows nose with a slight "meatiness" from the smoked malts. The 12.5% commands your attention quickly. The bourbon barrels really add another layer of love to the mix. This is a huge taste to be savored slowly.

M: Medium to heavy with medium carbonation. Chewy, full and lovely.

O: I love me some Unidragon. Porcine is an outstanding "next level" brew from Clown Shoes. By far, the best beer of the day. Recommended.

Appearance: Pours near black with some very dark browns and reds at the edges when held to direct light. Head is khaki and loose with a ton of bubbles. Drops to a few clumps of a cap with a loose super bubbly collar. Minimal carbonation.

Smell: Tons and tons of bitter cocoa. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, all the chocolate. Smoke is abundant with a slight sweetness. A touch woody. Fudgy. Hints of alcohol. Some vague dark fruit - plum and cherry. A tartness that reads as alkaline more than anything else. Sweet deeply roasted malts. Meaty - soy and jerky.

Taste: Loaded with sweet smoke. Woody. A solid push of char and charcoal. Smoke and more smoke. Meaty, but more like homemade jerky. Liquid smoke. Tons of bitter cocoa. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, nibs, and baker's chocolate. Fudge and some chocolate cake. A ton of sweet roasted malt. Alcohol and a lot of it. Sharp alcohol on the back of each sip. Hints of vanilla and caramel. Barrel adds some additional heat.

Mouthfeel: Medium leaning to full body. Almost syrupy at times but it never quite gets there. Carbonation is moderate. Barrel thins things out a bit as well.

Overall: Swiiiiiiiiiiiinnnee. Swiiiiiiiiiinnne.

Follows the same path as other Unidragon based beers. It's solid if a bit too sweet and the barrel is used poorly, but it shows the hint of something better. I'll have to check out modern Clown Shoes barrel aged stuff to see if they'v improved.

Thanks Flynn. More weekend reviews, all from full notes taken to computer at the time.

A- Pitch black pour comes from a 22oz bottle into three pint glasses with an oily, thick pitch black body. A tan cap forms with frothy texture and falls to a big ring. The ring has huge bubbles and deposits spots of lace here and there.

S- Smoky and roasty and for me that is pretty much most of what comes to mind here. Deep dark chocolate and charred grains with beachwood smoked malts; not quite full-on campfire and seaweed but still something smoked with a hint of caramel.

T- Roastiness comes on full speed here with decadent bittersweet chocolate coming to mind with charred grains, coffee and burnt sugar. Beechwood smoked malts provide the other main aspect of the flavor with a smoky but not so camp-firey feel overall. Raisin, brown sugar, oak, vanilla, Bourbon and cocoa powder come to mind.

MF- Fairly thick bodied with a chewy, oily and frothy consistency battering down the palate. Carbonation is at a medium level and it finishes quite warm but that compliments the smoky and roasty flavors.

The smokiness seems to overshadow the barrels just a bit but for me that is the key this beer. It delivers a rich roast malt character with a big smoked grain aspect and barrel hints; it all balances out nicely. I think this is the third time I have had this beer and it still holds up very well.

More smoke comes out in the flavor, but it is balanced nicely by the sweet, chocolaty malt. The barrel character is subtle, but adds a nice dimension as it warms. Woody, roasty flavors are more pronounced as it warms. Still plenty of leafy hops to give it a dry, bitter finish. This is a beer that has a lot going on, but manages a semblance of harmony despite a multitude of flavors. Pretty good, though I think another year or two in the cellar would improve it.

Overall: This beer is delicious yet too much smoked malt to my liking (smoked bacon), the barrel adds some depth yet not as intense as I would prefer. The mouthfeel is a little light yet I didn't have a problem killing the bomber. All in all this brew is recommended.

Poured into a large tulip glass. Apears dark blak with tan head. Smells of chocolate with some oak tannins and vanilla. Tastes full bodied chocolate & vanilla upfront with some light bourbon & oak in the background. A little astringency seems noticeable, maybe from too much bittering hops. Mouthfeel seems heavy, especially as it warms. Bourbon character cones through more and body seems more full. Overall, a good beer. Wish it had some more initial oomph.

Poured at cellar temperature into a snifter.
A - Pours a dark brown color with minimal medium brown head. The head is gone almost instantly, leaving a long lasting lacing.
S - Bourbon, chocolate and a sour hop finish.
T - Bourbon, charred wood, chocolate and a hoppy finish.
M - Medium viscosity with a small amount of carbonation.
O - The smoke is a little on the heavy side, the bourbon is light and the alcohol is well integrated. All and all not bad if you like smoked beers. OK for a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout.

A: Opaque black with browning on the edges. Less than 1/2 a fingers width of tan head quickly dissipates down to only a bubbly outer ring, but that ring leaves a decent amount of patchy lacing down the sides of the glass.

S: Huge leather and tobacco notes, lots of smoked malt/char, more subtle bakers chocolate and oak, cinnamon, a hint of booze. I dont get many barrel notes at all, but still very nice aroma.

T: Roasted malt and bakers chocolate, sweeter than the aroma implies. I also get coffee, smokey/char notes, leather, tobacco and some barrel notes including oak and bourbon-y booze. Smoked malt builds as I continue through the drink giving it a unique characteristic that I really like.

M/D: Very smooth, moderate carbonation, full bodied but mouthfeel on the thinner side, ABV is very well controlled and drinkability is good.

O: Overall, a really nice IS. Not my favorite of the Clown Shoes IS line, but very good nonetheless. I do wish the bourbon barrel characters were stronger, and it had a thicker mouthfeel. That being said I still definitely recommend.

Undated bottle, aged six months. Poured into a tulip glass. Body is engine oil black with visible carbonation. Half finger head that vanished almost immediately. Nose has cocoa, wood and malt, although aroma is faint. Tastes of black licorice up front, anise, chocolate and heavy bourbon on the back end and aftertaste. Strong alcohol burn, more like liquor than beer. Full body loaded with alcohol. Very interesting beer I love that bourbon flavor but it keeps it from being easy to drink. Definitely a "once in a while" brew.

Appearance: Pours with a medium bodied thickness which is dark brown but sits black in the glass. A finger of creamy head on the pour and was present on the edges of the glass while drinking. Above average active carbonation active for an BA imperial stout.

Smell: Getting a ton of smokey malt and strong oak. A sticky, mossy, and heavy hop presence is picked up. Light to medium barrel aged character. Hop character is much brighter then I expected but has all the checkpoints of a good BA stout.

Taste: The front is a mix of bourbon and leafy, mossy hop character. The body is some medium bodied roasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla. The backend of this beer is filled with smokey malt and strong oak that seem to linger on the palate forever. Deep fruity tones poke their way through on the finish as well.

The beer poured dark brown and a bit thin for the style. An inch-tall, super tight and creamy, tan colored crown topped the liquid. The head quickly faded to a bubbly ring of lasting froth. Streaks of lacing coated the sides of the glass.

Roasted and beechwood smoked malts were immediately noticeable in the flavor profile. The smokiness was more subdued than in the nose however. Brown sugar, caramel and vanilla notes appeared in the center. The beer finished with notes of ashy, charred malts and a sharp booziness. I definitely tasted all 12.5%. Slightly bitter, earthy hops came through as well.

The mouthfeel was creamy, frothy and smooth but rather thin for an imperial stout. A fine, mellow effervescence gave the liquid a soft texture.

Both the aroma and the flavor profile of this beer were quite interesting, but the booziness was really excessive. I sat on this bottle for a little over a year, but it definitely could have benefitted from further aging. If the alcohol presence could be toned down, this beer would be far better.

22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled on 4/17/2013. Pours dense pitch black color with a small dense tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass with some alcohol legs. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, smoked meat, light char, toast, toffee, vanilla, oak, clove, bourbon, and roasted earthiness; with a bit of booziness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of roasted/smoked malt and barrel notes; with good strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, smoke, char, toast, toffee, vanilla, oak, clove, bourbon, and roasted earthiness. Fair amount of roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, smoke, char, toast, toffee, vanilla, oak, clove, bourbon, and roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt and barrel flavors; with a nice roasted/sweetness/barrel flavor balance with no cloying flavors after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very creamy, slick, and lightly chalky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is fairly well hidden with only a moderate warming present after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent barrel aged imperial stout! All around great complexity and balance of dark/roasted/smoked malt and barrel flavors; and fairly smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

I got a bottle of Clown Shoes Porcine Unidragon that my buddy brought over for me to try last week, thanks Ben. I've been wanting to try this beer so I was happy when my buddy brought it over, ideally I would like to try the base beer first, but for some reason this one showed up first, but I'm interested to see how this turns out, so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date 2013 Vintage. Poured from a brown 22oz bottle into a snifter.

A- The label is really nice looking, it looks like some sweet fantasy artwork and I think it's very eye catching. It poured a nice black color that didn't really let any light come through with two fingers worth of medium tan head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and left some nice rings of lacing behind. This is a pretty good looking beer, the color was nice, but the head and ;acing were really good especially for how strong it is.

S- The aroma starts off with a slightly higher amount of medium sweetness followed by lots of dark roasted malts with some coffee and chocolate aromas in the background along with some smoked malt aromas. Up next come the bourbon barrels which impart a nice oaky and bourbon like aroma with a somewhat lighter alcohol aroma. The aroma is very nice, I thought there was great balance between the roasted malts, smoked malts and bourbon barrels.

T- The taste seems to be pretty similar to the aroma and it starts off with a slightly higher amount of medium sweetness followed by loads of dark roasted malts with noticeable coffee and chocolate flavors in the background followed by a somewhat lighter amount of smoked malts that have a slight smoked meat flavors to them and show up just enough. Up next comes the bourbon barrel which imparts a nice oaky and bourbon like flavor with a little boozy and warming alcohol coming through. This was a very nice tasting beer, the balance is very good just like it was in the aroma.

M- Fairly smooth, creamy, a little boozy, full bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. The mouthfeel was very nice, it was pretty smooth considering the ABV.

Overall I thought this was a very nice beer and a pretty good example of the style, this beer was just as advertised and all the aspects mentioned on the bottle worked well together with some pretty nice balance. This beer had pretty good drinkability, especially for how strong it was, it drank much smoother then I expected and the taste did a great job at holding my attention, I think I would tackle a whole bottle by myself but I'm sure it would give me a pretty nice buzz so that would probably be my limit. What I liked the most about this beer was the balance, neither of the aspects in the flavor and aroma were too overpowering and they worked very well with each other. What I liked the least about this beer was nothing, there wasn't anything wrong with it and there's nothing I would change. I would for sure buy this beer at the store and I wouldn't mind getting a bottle for the cellar to see how it develops over time. I would recommend this to anyone who likes big barrel aged stouts. All in all I really enjoyed this beer and I thought it was impressive, this is about as close as I have gotten to being wowed by a Clown Shoes beer and so far this is the best one I have tried from them and I would say its one of the better Barrel aged stouts I've had but it isn't a favorite. Good job guys, you can be sure that I'll be on the look out for the base beer, keep up the good work.

appearance: Very dark brown. Slight ruby highlights when held to light. Average (for a high ABV beer) tan head and lacing. I may just be in a different state of mind but this looks better than I recall the un-barrelled version.
smell: Charred smoke with a sweet note (I guess the bourbon?). A bit of chocolate. Again, this smells much better...richer, more complex than I remember the un-barrelled version.
taste: The bourbon is more prominent than the nose but otherwise the taste and nose are very similar. A little harsh (alcohol and smoke) but I kinda like that.
overall: a damn good imp stout. Tasty and different.

Classic dark walnut brown to black body, some faint red, very small, hues along the edges. Makes a decent light cocoa head of about a finger with moderate staying power. Some leopard like spotted lacing, and a bubbly but good sized collar.

Nice soft roasty malts, slightly velvety smelling and hinting of a silky palate. A bit one dimensional, not much else, maybe some small vanilla tones, but not much hint of excellent barrel aging.

Palate works out nicely. Good thick and controlled ganache like bitter chocolate, with large roasting bitterness in the end. Subtle piney hop bitterness after a swallow that lingers. Large amounts of dark chocolate and solid bitterness. Good silky feel to carry flavors forward. Really impressed with the mouthfeel on the Clown Shoes stouts it seems. Mild warmth not boozy hot for the finish.

Overall it doesn't seem to bring some of the greatness of the barrel notes and qualities, but it delivers as a real solid stout either way.